Today I headed out to Flatirons Vista just south of Boulder and Eldorado Springs. Weather was great, about 75 degrees, slight overcast, just and all out great morning to go for a ride. I did the double loop here covering just under 8 miles in about an hour (didn’t really time it, just a guess).

This is a great trail. A moderate uphill to start, followed by a fun downhill, then a longer steady uphill, across the mesa thought the woods and out in to the open across the mesa. Once across the wide open mesa where you can haul ass it heads down a long winding around the mesa. The last uphill was a little brutal as I was already tired. Had to take a few minute break here. Once I caught my breath I pounded up the hill and continue around the south end of the loop. it’s pretty flat across the top then a long fast downhill to the car, making it a great way to finish up the trail. I think I may try to make that trail a regular spot for me. Good mix of everything and you can know it our pretty quickly.

I did OK for my second ride of the summer, but I certainly found out how out of shape I’m in. I only really took a couple 2 min breaks, but I was working harder than I thought I would be.

The bike on the other hand was a absolutely fantastic. Was the first real trail on this bike and it performed absolutely fantastic. Very pleased with this investment, can’t wait to get it out again…maybe tomorrow morning.

OK, I gave it another shot…can’t say it’s much better. I tried to set the exposure to what I thought would be a good, normal one for most lighting conditions. You’ll see how it wasn’t quite set right, might want to put your sunglasses on…

Some time ago, I ran across some amazing work of Ross Ching as well as a myriad of other artists creating stunning time-lapse videos with just a DSLR. Not only were they time-lapse videos, but they were HIGH-DEF (1080p) videos. When I ran across these I had just purchased a Nikon D90 and was anxious to give this shot.

Some time had passed and I really didn’t get into it, but would occasionally check back to Ross’ site and others I had collected and continue to be amazed.

Finally, with the help of a gift courtesy of NewsGator Technologies in the form of an Amazon gift certificate, I decided to pick up an intervalometer. This little device plugs right into the camera and I can set it to take as many pictures as I can fit on my memory card in as little increments as 1 sec.

It took a few tries before everything lined up well enough around the pond (weather, flowers, correctly setup equipment, etc.) for me to get a decent set of exposures to get something out of it. I captured 1616 shots on 10 sec intervals, enough to make 55 seconds of video. Yeah, it’s a little shoddy, and I have some more trials and learning to do yet, but I think it’s a good start 🙂 :

I have to report, and give my opinion on something that has shook me to the core.

During the recent election, Proposition 8 was passed to take away the legal recognition of a gay marriage in California. I saw news of this yesterday. I’m not gay, and as I’ve never really been either way for or against the sexual preference of others, I actually found it strange that I kept trying to figure out 1 question in the back of my head all day long yesterday: "Why would someone vote against gay marriage?".

Throughout the day I saw different videos on this subject, most of them showing people talking in a rather angry fashion about how gay marriage should not be allowed, but never saw any REAL justification coming out of the pitiful holes in their head. These people just seem absolutely ignorant, disrespectful, and selfish to me. Do they really think that this is how the modern world should operate? Why do you think that you have the right to indiscriminately take the right away of entire population of people that just wants to be left alone to be happy? I hope that a look at the rest of the people in the demographic that voted for does not show other such beliefs to be just as ignorant and self centered as this decision.

I also saw a clip that put a lump in my throat, which was immediately followed frustration and anger at those that would do this to another person. It was a short byte during a news report about the protests that have erupted over this decision. It was a very sad looking guy choking out 1 sentence that will stick with me for a long time: "I have never felt less like a human being". It was hard to watch the look on this guy’s face, and I can’t get the image out of my head.

People who know me may be surprised that I would write a blog post such as this, let alone even take the time to even blog. But I have lots of respect for those that can embrace true happiness. A trait which is all too often taken for granted and not see for what it really is to someone. It’s like that old couple slowly making their way down the sidewalk. He’s barely hobbling along with a slight limp with a look on his face of confusion at the world. She’s hunched over and confined to a walker and in an obvious struggle with pain in each step she takes. I always catch myself at first taking the selfish road and thinking to myself "Gosh, I hope my health holds up the rest of my life so I don’t end up in that situation." Just as I think that thought they look at each other with a look that nothing could possibly interrupt or distract them from, followed by a simple kiss and a smile of happiness that seems to raise the surrounding temperature a few degrees. This to me is an example of TRUE HAPPINESS. We should all be truly blessed to ever find happiness at this level.

It’s this same sort of happiness some possess with each other that will pull their families through what may be the worst chains of natural, economical, and war-time disasters our society or generation may ever face. To those of you who have voted for Proposition 8, YOU are taking this happiness away from people. Who do you think you are that you think you have a legitimate reason to take this away from them? Can someone fill me in on what that reason is?

What would you have to say about a mother and kids left behind one fateful day in September, 7 years ago? If you could vote to give them back the happiness they’ll be missing with out a husband and father, would you do it? Does that make you any different than those that took this happiness away from them? You should be ashamed.

I was just married this June. It made me happier than I ever dreamed it would have. Yes, DREAMED. For these people, they are already struggling with the acceptance of the general population. You Prop 8 supporters continue to try to infect and disgust everyone else with that same lack of acceptance. The right to a legal marriage between 2 happy people is more than a dream, it’s about equality. Think about what it would take for you to be in a position to "have never felt less like a human being". Of all the causes you could possibly support in these tough times, you pick this?

I may not be the best writer to convey my feelings and opinions, so I end these thoughts with the words of Keith Olbermann’s Special Comment from last nights episode of Countdown. This may be one of his best ever, and drives home a point that can be said no better than this:

To my best friend, love, and new wife Karen: As we are both as happy we have ever been together, let’s forever strive to find a higher sense of happiness and never let anything or anyone stand in the way of it. I Love You. ‘To Blave.’

To all those that this has affected: keep fighting against this injustice, there are many of us out here that are behind you!